Three Beautiful Things 12/30/16: Costco Was Packed, Quiet Lunch, MOM's Aromas and Thirty-Four Years

1.  Today was my favorite kind of day at Costco in Beltsville. The store was packed. The sound of languages from all over the world filled the place. It was like when I'm on the Beltway and it's packed with cars and an unspoken agreement seems to occur between drivers that we are all in this together and if we want to keep a disaster from happening, we'd all better look out for each other, be courteous, and not push it. Although we weren't in any potential danger at Costco, I beamed as I walked around the store because shoppers were being courteous, patient, and often smiled or gave a quick nod of gratitude if, say, I pushed my cart heading west out of the sheets and blankets aisle and yielded to those shoppers going north and south. No collisions. No cutting in front of others. No aisle rage. Just a slow, leisurely, successful day of picking up a few staples at Costco.

2. I wanted to try the Tropicannon IPA from Baltimore's Heavy Seas Brewery, so, Old Line Bistro is essentially next door to Costco, so I dropped in, ordered a pint, and was taken aback by how fruity this beer was -- a little too much for my taste. But, it prepared the way nicely for the crunchy, nutty, sweet, and tart kale and feta cheese salad I ordered and I thought this salad might taste good with a half pint of D. C.'s 3 Star Brewing Company's Peppercorn Saison and I was right.

3. Since returning to Maryland from Kellogg, I hadn't shopped at MOM's Organic in College Park. I first started shopping at stores similar to this back in 1982 when the Kiva was near 11th and Willamette, close to Collins' Bicycle Shop, and what I always enjoyed about the Kiva and Sundance and Capella (nee Oasis) markets in Eugene was the smell of coffee beans, essential oils, soaps, chocolate, and unlit incense. I walked into MOM's today and about thirty-four years of my life flashed pleasingly before my eyes and I enjoyed myself by grinding a bag of coffee, buying fresh baked bread, stocking up on produce, and enjoying the friendly variety of people who work and shop at MOM's.